THE ARBOUR BIRD. 403 



distance of fifty or sixty yards from the spot where it rose. On 

 approaching the nest, when it contains their young, their notes 

 of alarm, or anger, resemble those of the Nightingale's croak ; 

 the wings are then lowered, the tail spread and jerked up. The 

 Bluethroat commences his song with the first dawn of day, and 

 it may be heard in the evening, when most of the feathered tribe 

 are silent. These birds are caught in autumn by snares, baited 

 with berries." 



WOOD calls this bird the Bluethroated Fantail, and expresses 

 surprise that it has been placed by almost every writer in the 

 same genus as the Redstart and the Redbreast, as it belongs 

 most obviously to a different group, to the Wagtail sub- family 

 (Motacillin&i) . 



TAMEABLE ONLY WHEN YOUNG. 

 156. THE ARBOUR BIRD. 



Sylvia or Motacilla Hippolais, LIN. La Fauvette, BUF. Die Bastard 

 Nachtigatt, BECH. 



Description. This admirable singing bird, which may be 

 met with wherever there are trees and bushes, is five inches 

 and a half in length, of which the tail measures two inches 

 and a quarter. The beak is seven lines long, straight, blunt, 

 on the upper side bluish grey, on the under reddish yellow ; 

 yellow at the corners and in the inside. The iris is dark 

 brown; the feet lead colour, and ten lines in height. The 

 head is narrow and pointed, and, as well as the beak, rump, 

 and lesser wing-coverts, olive grey ; a light yellow stripe 

 passes from the nostrils to the eyes; and the whole of the 

 under part of the body is the same colour. The tail and wings 

 are dark brown ; the secondary pen feathers having so broad a 

 border of white, as to form a white spot on the folded wings. 



In the female the general colour of the plumage is paler, 

 and the stripes over their eyes less distinct. 



Habitat. The Arbour Bird frequents gardens, groves, and 

 thickets, and seems to prefer such woods as are partly com- 

 posed of coniferous trees. It is a bird of passage, arriving at 

 the end of April, and departing, before moulting, about the 

 end of August. 



In the aviary it must be kept in a Nightingale cage, and is 

 very susceptible of any change of treatment. It is so delicate, 

 as very rarely to become tame, if taken when old. 



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